WhatzUp
Sweetwater

Best Local Rock CD Release

26.89% Mike Conley / My Little Secret*
21.78% Matthew Sturm / Unspoken Conversations*
19.89% Migraines / Endangered Species*
6.63% Vandolah / Please*
2.65% Third Frame / Roped Off Section*
2.27% Epidimic / Wicked Realms
1.89% CookiePuss / We Rock Hard So You Don't Have To, Take Sides / Last Transmission
1.52% Mutual Kumquat / Dream On It
1.14% Tri-State Killing Spree / Greatest Hits
0.95% Buttonhead / Number 2, Blame It On Rio / All That You Leave Behind
0.76% Common Union / Wall Unit Air Conditioner
0.57% Andromeda / The Need, Electro Cult Circus / Does Love Kill?, Go Dog Go / Summer '04 EP, Industrial Strength / Hadel Zone, Leeko / Kung Fu Skeet Shoot, Leo K3 & The Darkside Clique / Battle For Innocence, Pop 'N' Fresh / Second Helping, Thylacine / Unconfirmed Sightings

Others with Votes (more than one):

Cryptic/Once Holy Realm, Epidimic/Epidimic, Friday the 13th/Too Fast For Luck, John Minton/Going Down to Vicksburg, Lee Miles/So Much Pain, Sankofa/Rosetta Stone, Sub-Surface/Boombox Sampler, Tone Junkies/Custom

Rock Releases
2003 Winner: Sirface / For Reasons Unknown, David Todoran / Luck In This Life
2002 Winner: Shelly Dixon Band / Drive
2001 Winner: Fawn Liebowitz / Bug, Chris Worth / Just A Smile Away
2000 Winner: Strut Train / Aww Yeah, David Todoran / Under My Skin
1999 Winner: Blue Moon Boys / Sticks & Stones
1998 Winner: Blue Moon Boys/Live in New York
1997 Winner: Edge Essentials

* On the ballot

Winners Mike Conley has been getting a lot of recognition lately. He hosted an evening of music back in November at Columbia Street West for the release of his first CD, My Little Secret. The title cut for the CD was also included on the X102 Essentials 8 disc.His song “We’ll Make It” was included on the 2004 compilation A Hot Cat In A Dog’s World, the proceeds of which went to benefit autism.

On February 5 of this year he took part in the Flatpick Music Revue, a showcase featuring the Matt Sturm Band, Ken Bantz, John Minton and The Possum Trot Orchestra and Matt Kelly and Chris Dodds of Go Dog Go. Conley performed with violinist Mary Spriggle during his portion of the show.

He’s also no stranger to the Whammys. He won in the Best Live Solo Performer category last year, as well as Best Live Duo Performer with John Forbing.

He has worked with the multi-media event Pop Filter and the Midwest Original Music Showcase (MOMS). In January and October of 2002, Conley, along with Matt Sturm, hosted two shows with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.

All of this work has definitely paid off for Conley. His My Little Secret took the Whammy for Best Local CD Release, and he again in the Best Live Solo Performer category, edging out Sunny Taylor who, before now, had won every Whammy she was ever nominated for. This year, it was his work with Chris Dodds that took Best Live Duo.

Of the Best CD award, Conley said, “This one is really, really special because of the amount of work that went into the CD. That’s really the big thing. It took so long to get it done, and to still be happy with it when I listen to it, and then to finally win the Whammy, it means a lot. It’s a humbling thing. I have a lot of respect for the Fort Wayne music scene, a lot of respect.”

It’s obvious that respect is being returned many times over. Conley’s stage presence and his originality, coupled with his vocals and songwriting, have made sure his “Little Secret” is out. It’s almost guaranteed that he’ll be around for a long time. (John DeGroff)

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